21/10/2026
The Battle of Trafalgar | 21st October 1805
Today marks the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, fought on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Spain. One of the most significant naval battles in British history, it saw the Royal Navy defeat the combined French and Spanish fleets during the Napoleonic Wars, helping secure British naval supremacy for decades to come.
The victory was led by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, whose tactics proved decisive. Yet the battle came at a great cost. Nelson was mortally wounded aboard HMS Victory and died later that day, becoming forever associated with both the victory and the sacrifice behind it.
The two artworks featured here commemorate different aspects of this historic day, reflecting both the battle and the death of the admiral who led the British fleet.
Here in Greenwich, with its long maritime history, the anniversary offers an opportunity to remember all those who lost their lives at the Battle of Trafalgar and reflect on the battle’s lasting significance in British naval history.
Artwork credits
Nelson. Trafalgar, 21 October 1805 — after Charles Lucy, 1854.
The Death of Lord Nelson on the quarter deck aboard HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar — after Arthur William Devis; engraved by William Bromley, 1807.
